At a "State of the City" event Wednesday at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe said Bloomington is healthy and prosperous with a falling crime rate and good economic development, adding the city continues to "thrive as a hub of opportunity and innovation."
He cited $162 million in additional property value from construction permits issued last year. That's about the same as in 2022 — and way ahead of 2021.
- 2023: 6,300 permits, $162 million
- 2022: 7,000 permits, $164 million
- 2021: 7,197 permits, $101.4 million
- 2020: 7,700 permits, $ 80 million
“The state of our city is strong and resilient,” said Mwilambwe, who recently told WGLT he is running for a second term.
The city remains committed to sustainable growth and development, he said, though challenges will continue to come — like helping a growing homeless and housing-challenged population. He touted a grant application that could expand shelter space downtown, and promised action on the lack of housing and affordable housing.
“At a council retreat several days ago, council and staff had preliminary conversations about the challenges that we face as a community. And you can expect, a kickoff conversation at a future committee of the whole to really engage the whole community on what it would take for us to resolve the current housing crisis,” said Mwilambwe.
Capital projects
The fire department answered a record-breaking number of emergency calls last year — more than 13,000, he said.
“Looking ahead, the department is focused on future projects such as land acquisition for a new fire station,” said Mwilambwe.
That new fire station will fill a gap in coverage in east central Bloomington. Fire Chief Corey Matheny said the facility will go somewhere between the downtown station on Lee Street and the east side fire station No. 3. The city is still studying whether to make that a new department headquarters or a small fire station; Matheny said he hopes the city will buy the land this summer.
The mayor said the city is forging ahead with its stormwater and sanitary sewer separation projects, a new water tower at Prairie Vista golf course, and the infrastructure portions of the downtown streetscape plan.
He said the city credit rating is up again, and for the sixth straight year Bloomington used cash to pay for new heavy machinery and vehicles. The $14 million upgrade is close to opening at O'Neill water park, while improvements also are underway at Miller Park Zoo.
And the final phase of the library expansion and renovation is what he called "imminent."
“Despite the challenges of the digital age, our library remains relevant and indispensable, providing resources, programs, and services that empower individuals of all ages and backgrounds,” said Mwilambwe.
The library remains a beacon of knowledge, learning, and enrichment, he said, noting the community contributed more than $700,000 in private funds for the project, on top of the multimillion-dollar city commitment.
The city also plans to open the new Sweeney Park on the east side next month. The space on Pamela Drive already has a new playground, and staff said workers are finishing changes to parking and other amenities.
The arts
Mwilambwe emphasized the recovery of arts and culture programs in the city. A newly formed Arts and Entertainment Department added six people to previous cultural area staff at the Center for the Performing Arts — BCPA had 100 event days last year.
“BCPA is shining a bright spotlight of cultural enrichment on the city. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, BCPA attendance reached an impressive 15,064, surpassing the attendance benchmark for the entirety of the previous year,” said Mwilambwe.
Meanwhile, Grossinger Motors Arena downtown had 90 event days last year and has added a hockey team, the Bloomington Bison.
Mwilambwe acknowledged challenges in cultural programming, "which necessitated the rebuilding of many industry relationships from scratch. However, thanks to the hard work of our A and E promoter, leadership, and team, we successfully collaborated with approximately 15 promoters and agencies to bring outstanding shows to our venues. These efforts demonstrate our commitment to overcoming obstacles.”
Mwilambwe said the city is making strides, as well, in converting records and billing to electronic formats. This will increase sustainability, public access, and transparency he said.
This year's State of the City event was a breakfast followed by a speech. The format is different from recent years that involved a video release, an address at a city council meeting, and even a joint appearance with Normal Mayor Chris Koos.
Mwilambwe said he hopes this format will stick and that he can continue to claim, "There's no better place than Bloomington."
